Battling the Billionaire

by Kate Ashgrove

  “Thanks for agreeing to come,” Devon said, finally breaking the silence. “I know how much you hate these things. But if I know you, you’ll find a way to make it exciting.”

  Jenna gave a nervous laugh, certain that Devon could see the guilt on her face. Surely he didn’t know she planned to do something. Although he could hardly be surprised by it.

  “I’m glad you’re never satisfied with the way things are,” he said. “I’m glad you push me to do more, to be more. That’s why I hired you, right?” He flashed her a nervous smile.

  When they pulled up to the venue, a sprawling mansion with ornate iron gates, Devon handed the security guard their invitation. Jenna watched carefully as the man punched in the code to open the large gates. Her stomach churned. Did he have to make it so easy? She slipped her phone from her purse and sent the code to Tali.

  Devon gave her another nervous smile as he pulled up to the curb. She gave him an over-exaggerated smile in return, dropping her phone stealthily back into her purse.

  She waited for him to get out of the car, eager to put an end to their uncomfortably close quarters. The guilt and nerves made it nearly impossible for her to sit still another minute. But Devon turned to her instead, ignoring the valet who paused outside the door.

  “I know you never wanted to see me again,” Devon said, his voice rough and quiet, “but I had to have one more chance to get you to change your mind about me, even if it is a long shot.”

  “Change my mind? Why would you care what I think?” Jenna shifted in her seat, and she struggled to keep eye contact.

  “I don’t know.” His smile was tight with nerves. “But I do. I care more about what you think than anyone else. And I never should have said those things the other night,” he continued. “I just wasn’t able to face the truth. I’m ready now, though. It’s one more thing I have you to thank for.”

  Jenna’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest as Devon got out of the car and hurried around to open her door. What was he talking about? What had he done? She wanted to pelt him with questions, but didn’t know how to do it without acting like she had something to hide, which she most definitely did.

  Devon handed the valet a generous tip and took Jenna’s hand again. At his touch she wanted to run back to the car, get inside and lock the doors. But she let him lead her down the lantern-lit walkway, dreading each step toward the gigantic double doors. She didn’t want to be in that building when Tali’s plan went into effect. She didn’t want to look Devon in the face when it happened. There was a time when she might have enjoyed it, even down to the possibility of being caught. But she wouldn’t get any pleasure from hurting Devon.

  His words echoed through her head. I’m ready now. What had he meant? If he’d changed his mind, what they were about to do would not only hurt him, it could hurt their cause. Maybe she could get Tali to hold off, just until she knew what he meant. She just needed a few seconds with her phone.

  The warm glow of the lights surrounding the hundred-year-old building greeted the extravagantly dressed couples that clustered around, making their way inside. Whatever Devon had decided to do, there was no way he would talk about it with these people around. She glanced at them, careful not to look them in the eye. Once again, she was a poser, someone who didn’t belong here. What if they recognized her from the last time? She felt grateful for the form-shaping undergarment that, while not exactly comfortable, was no doubt keeping her stomach from twisting itself out of shape.

  Devon caught her eye, giving her an encouraging smile, as his warm hand gently squeezed hers. For a moment, it was as if everything else fell away. She even forgot what she’d done for long enough to smile back, losing herself in his warm eyes and his kind smile. She thought about what it might have been like if they’d really met as a protester and a flustered server. Things would have been so much less complicated.

  But of course that was a ridiculous thought. If that had been the reality, she and Devon might have had a chance to be together, but she’d still be spending all her time working extra hours and worrying over her mother. Devon never would have set all of those charity programs into place, donated to the soup kitchen, or helped all of those people in her support group. This reality was better, in every way except one. She’d never have him.

  She swallowed a lump in her throat. Regret spread through her, warming her, making her shake, as if she’d taken a bite of Indian red chili. Devon probably would have found his way eventually, even without her help. He was a good person who happened to be in a bad place when they’d first met. She’d never seen someone so eager to change, so fulfilled by the chance to help others. Her mother was right. If she’d just given him a little more time ...

  “Are you all right?” he asked, concern filling his eyes.

  “Yes, I just—” She reached for her purse, hoping to grab her phone and text Tali, but a soft hand landed on her arm, stopping her.

  “Here’s the woman of the hour.” Jenna tried to make sense of the words as a lovely, if not slightly stiff, face beamed at her. There was something familiar about the brown eyes that looked her up and down in a satisfied way. Then she noticed the little dog tucked under one arm.

  Devon smiled, looking slightly embarrassed. “Jenna, I’d like you to meet my mother, Jaqueline. And you’ve already met Romeo.”

  “Oh, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Jenna said, guilt gnawing at her stomach even harder.

  “Devon’s told me so much about you.” She winked. “You know when your child has met someone truly special. He starts to become the man you always knew he could be.”

  Jenna steadied her breathing, shooting Devon a desperate look.

  “Mom,” Devon said, his voice tight.

  “Sorry,” Jaqueline said. “I won’t keep you to myself. There are so many people who want to meet you.”

  Confusion settled in among the guilt, making Jenna wish she could find a corner somewhere to hide away. “Who wants to meet me?”

  Charles appeared beside Jaqueline. “Everyone, my dear. Didn’t Devon tell you? This whole shindig was put together so that local charities could meet up with businesses, and to thank you for the work you’ve done to give TrueLife a bigger heart.”

  Chapter 20

  Devon

  Jenna’s mouth fell open, and her face paled. She slowly held her hand out to Charles, but her eyes were a million miles away.

  Devon pinched his bottom lip between his teeth, watching her carefully. He couldn’t tell if she was angry or happy, but she was clearly feeling something. His stomach tightened, and he was reminded of his first day cooking in Paris. He’d waited, on the edge of insanity, for his instructor to take a bite of his gratin dauphinoise, hoping his simple offering would be accepted.

  He took Jenna by the arm. “Please excuse us a moment.”

  Jenna turned to him, her face still blank as they walked.

  “Are you angry?” he asked.

  “No, I’m just ... confused.”

  “Oh.” He exhaled, daring to smile at her. “I wanted to thank you for what you did for us, but I knew your party had to have a higher purpose than handing out champagne and hors d’oeuvres and slapping each other on the back. So I came up with this. Like Charles said, it’s a way for charities and businesses to meet up and hopefully make things happen.”

  “That’s amazing.” Jenna finally smiled, but her face was still pale, her eyes wide, almost panic-stricken.

  “I hope it’s not going to embarrass you.”

  “Oh no, I’ve had my share of the spotlight,” she said, grinning mischievously. “At least it’s not for something illegal this time.” Her lips suddenly turned down again. “Give me a second, I just need to send a quick text.”

  Devon’s brow knotted as he watched her pull out her phone. He still couldn’t gage her reaction. Her expressions were all over the place. He didn’t know how to deal with this version of Jenna. Usually she just came out and said exactly what she was thinking. He took her
hand and squeezed it, desperate to get through to her, to pull her out of her thoughts.

  “And one more thing. I thought you could talk to some of these charities and do some networking, see if there’s one of them you might like to work with. You could have your pick after your success with a company as big as ours.”

  As Jenna looked at him, a sad smile spread over her face as she slipped her phone back into her purse. Her eyes filled with tears that he could tell she was fighting to hold back.

  Just then a hand landed lightly on his arm. Startled, he turned quickly to see Peyton. She smiled at him, an expression that turned slightly condescending when she turned it on Jenna.

  “It’s good to see you again, Jenna. You’ve made quite a stir around here. You’d think you were Mother Theresa or something, the way Devon talks.”

  “I hardly think—”

  “No need for modesty.” She tweaked Devon’s ear in a much too familiar way. “It’s not as easy as you might think to get Devy’s attention.”

  Heat drifted around Devon’s snug collar, and he moved away from her.

  Peyton slapped his cheek gently, her laughter more like a purr. “Don’t be embarrassed. You two are a match that’s almost too good to be true.”

  He clenched his jaw as his eyes locked onto Peyton’s. There was something in her tone that sounded like a threat. He gave her a stiff nod and took Jenna’s arm again, tugging her toward the patio. He wished he’d had the nerve to tell her everything he needed to tell her in the car. He was desperate to get it all out now, but there seemed little chance that he’d have the time, or privacy, to do it.

  The fresh, cool air filled his lungs as they walked outside, and he breathed in deeply. Jenna pulled her wrap around her as he maneuvered her quickly past several couples that milled around sipping drinks. His eyes caught on a small bench just beyond the patio, nestled in among the trees, and he headed toward it like a drowning man to land.

  Devon sat down, patting the bench beside him.

  “What’s wrong?” she said, her lips turned up in an amused smile as she sat. “We just got here, and you’re acting like you can’t wait to be anywhere else.”

  “That’s true,” he said, pushing a hand into his hair. “I’d like to be anywhere else, just me and you.”

  Panic flashed over Jenna’s face again. Devon bit his lip again, trying not to lose his nerve. He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, but whether she wanted him or not, he had to tell her how he felt.

  “I was wrong, about my father, about the company, about everything.”

  Her expression said I know, but she didn’t speak.

  “I found someone who has evidence that my father and Charles gave orders to deny legitimate claims, particularly to people in the lower classes, who couldn’t afford good lawyers.”

  A look of shock struck Jenna’s features, and she gasped.

  Devon rested his face in his hands, shame flooding through him. He couldn’t even look her in the eye now. “You were right. I should have listened to you sooner. I wanted to believe my family name was worth something. I wanted to believe my father did one good thing in his life. And Charles ...”

  Devon held back a sob, slowing his breathing to try to keep his emotions in check. Accepting Charles’s involvement had been even harder, in a way.

  Suddenly he felt a hand on his back, moving slowly across the fabric of his tux. He turned his face slightly, peeking through his fingers. Jenna was leaning in close, wiping a tear from her eye.

  “He was the father you never had,” she said.

  He nodded, trying to swallow away the lump in his throat.

  “Your family name will be worth something,” she said quietly. “You’ll honor your name in a way your father only pretended to.” Her hand reached over to rest on Devon’s knee. “You’re a good person.”

  The simple words penetrated his soul like a soothing balm. They were words he’d always wanted to believe about himself. Since he’d known Jenna, he’d been in turmoil, trying so hard to make them true, but knowing deep down that there was something that had yet to be made right. Now that he was facing it, maybe he could begin to believe those words.

  He sat up straight. The next part would be even harder to say, knowing all the reasons Jenna had for rejecting him. She needed to know how he felt about her. He licked his lips, willing himself to look her in the eye. But when he did, his nerve only flittered away like the tiny dry leaves that crunched under his heel. The glow from the lanterns and strings of party lights that ornamented the trees and shrubberies shone in her eyes and caressed her features. But it wasn’t just her outer beauty that shone. He could see everything she was inside, her integrity and strength and compassion, just as clearly. He wanted to postpone the moment all of that walked out of his life for as long as possible.

  Then Jenna leaned forward, placing her hands on his cheeks. His eyes widened in surprise, then he exhaled, closing them, letting the sensation of her touch sink in. Letting the relief her returned affection brought course through him. Then he looked at her, his eyes conveying what he hadn’t had the chance to say. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her in closer to him. He studied her face, certain now that he saw the same longing in her that he couldn’t contain any longer. He leaned in toward her, letting her shallow breaths linger on his lips for just a moment. Then they touched, their lips moving together with an urgency that had been building since the last time they’d given in.

  A loud crash, followed by a scream, jerked the two of them apart.

  Chapter 21

  Jenna

  Devon jumped to his feet, every muscle tense as one scream turned into two. The shouts multiplied, accompanied by more crashes and sounds of chaos.

  Devon turned to look at Jenna, his eyes panicked as he grabbed for her hand. Jenna didn’t move. She just stared at him as the feelings of bliss she’d given way to moments before drained away, leaving her empty except for the guilt that surged through her so strongly she was sure Devon couldn’t fail to see it.

  His eyes searched hers, hopeful, then hesitant, then finally, hurt.

  “Devon, I didn’t mean to—”

  He paused, waiting for her to finish, but she couldn’t. What could she say? She hadn’t meant for this to happen? She hadn’t meant to hurt him? She’d known exactly what she was doing. She’d regretted it as soon as she’d gone through with it, she’d tried to take it back. But it was too late. The whole thing had already been set in motion.

  He turned away from her, hurrying toward the mansion. Jenna stood up, making her way through the flood of people exiting through the patio doors. She seemed to be the only one still trying to make her way inside. She finally pushed her way in, where she faced a mob of people in torn clothing, complete with mutilated faces and fake blood. They were moaning as they chomped down on the delicate food, and they carried signs that said things like TrueLife:The Dead Condemn You. She caught the eye of one animated zombie, who wore a torn wedding veil as she downed a glass of champagne. Tali winked at Jenna, giving her a thumbs up.

  Jenna rushed over. “I told you to hold off.”

  “You try holding off an angry zombie hoard. Herd?”

  Jenna shoved both hands into her hair as she looked around. She spotted Jaqueline trying to tug a bottle of what was probably very expensive champagne away from a determined zombie. Devon was trying to convince her to come with him, away from the scene of madness and mayhem. Jenna couldn’t pull her eyes away from him. Her fingers brushed against her lips, which were still tingling from his kiss. His eyes met hers at that moment, and she turned quickly toward Tali.

  Tali touched her arm. “I’m sorry, Jenna. I know you were hot for McBillionaire over there. But you and I both know it wasn’t going to work out. You have a moral code. He didn’t, like, measure up or whatever.”

  The words pierced Jenna’s heart so deeply she wanted to rip it out of her chest and hand it over to one of the zombies. Were zombies interested in hearts? Not the
se ones, anyway. They seemed to prefer flutes of bubbly and teeny tiny salmon bites.

  “I was wrong.” Jenna looked at Tali with teary eyes, remembering Devon at the soup kitchen, asking Tyler about his favorite pizza, and later, elbows deep in soap suds. How could she explain to Tali the way his dark caramel eyes lit up when they’d discussed changes in his company’s charitable donations, or when he cooked. Then there was the way he made her feel like she had something to contribute to the world, like life wasn’t just a dreary battle she had to fight through one day at a time, but something full of hope and possibilities and pleasures. She couldn’t say any of it, at least not until she’d had a full day in bed and about six tubs of ice cream in her.

  “Oh, honey.” Tali put her arm around Jenna. “I promise it’ll make you feel better to wreak a little havoc. We’re here, aren’t we? I’ll be right back.” Tali hurried after a zombie who was terrorizing a man who was only trying to retrieve his coat.

  Jenna went back to looking for Devon. Maybe she could go after him and explain it all. Maybe there was a chance he’d forgive her. But he was nowhere in sight. Instead, her gaze landed on Peyton. Apparently poor people in greasy makeup didn’t bother that woman in the least, and she sauntered toward Jenna with an arrogant smirk on her lips and an open bottle of champagne in her hand. Jenna clenched her jaw. The last thing she wanted was a conversation with Peyton. Insincerity wafted around the woman like bad perfume. If Jenna had a costume she could justify chasing her around with a silver serving tray, but in her gown it hardly seemed appropriate, so she gave her a fake smile instead.

  “I owe you an apology,” Peyton said, looking around with her brows raised high. “I had you pegged for a gold digger, but you are clearly a woman of integrity. I don’t know about style, but you certainly made a statement.”